Solar Reserve representatives, the Premier and Government representatives at the future site.

ABC North and West: Khama Reid

The Port Augusta community and its clean energy supporters have welcomed the news that the world's largest solar thermal power station will be built in the region.

Aurora facts:

150-megawatt solar thermal power with eight hours of storage

Plant will deliver 495 gigawatt hours of power annually, or 5 per cent of SA's energy needs

Equivalent to powering more than 90,000 homes

Located 30 kilometres north of Port Augusta

Company says it is "completely emission free"

It was announced yesterday that US operator Solar Reserve would build the 150 megawatt power station known as the Aurora Solar Energy Project at Carriewerloo Station, about 330 kilometres north of Adelaide.

Lovisa Muyderman also travelled from Adelaide, she said climate change was a huge concern for young people.

"Especially vulnerable people who have done the least to contribute to climate change but also have the least capacity to deal with this issue."

She agreed with Ms Sarre that it was important for Port Augusta to host renewable projects.

"It's baseload renewable power, it uses a lot of the same skill sets as traditional coal-fired power does so there's the chance to provide jobs to the people that have always been supplying us with power — but in a clean, renewable fashion."

Port Augusta businessman John Brittain said his family-owned business would benefit from the construction of a solar thermal plant.

He said it was a new chapter for Port Augusta.

"It's awesome for the town," he said.

"The town has had so much negativity over the past so-many years and now to see these projects come into fruition is great."

Mr Brittain said the construction of the Bungala solar project, the expansion of the Cultana Defence training area, the expansion of the Carrapateena Mine to the north and the DP Energy renewable energy park to the south of Port Augusta would all benefit the community.